


Big Fan

by canadino



Category: Fire Emblem Heroes
Genre: Alternate Universe - Rock Band, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-03
Updated: 2018-06-03
Packaged: 2019-05-17 19:07:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,130
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14837465
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/canadino/pseuds/canadino
Summary: In which Bruno, Xander, and Loki are in a band and Bruno worries about his likability.





	Big Fan

“ _What_ are you sighing to yourself about this time?” Anna asked. 

Bruno looked away from the door, where he had been watching Xander leave with a pretty young female fan who had somehow managed to slip to the back of the bar to get his autograph. “Don’t make it sound like I sigh all the time,” he said. (“But you do,” Anna retorted, which he ignored along with her over exaggerated eye rolling.) “I was just thinking - this wasn’t what I thought it would be like as a member of a pretty decent band. I’m not saying I joined to, well, get ass as Loki might say…”

“Get to the point, please,” Anna prompted. 

Bruno turned back to the door. “How is Xander much better at charming our fans?” He was not even going to bring Loki into the conversation; as the well-endowed frontwoman of the band and a talented bassist in her own right, it was natural that she spent most of her time before gigs flirting around and chatting with those who had connections with valuable contract makers. But Xander, who took the drums with the utmost seriousness, spent much of his stage time in the back focused on keeping the beat. He had figured, as the one standing next to Loki and providing killer guitar solos that were well received if all the cheering afterwards was to be believed - he ought to be called out before and after shows too by those too shy to approach him when he lingered at the bar.

“So you aren’t above those kinds of worries.” Anna’s smug smile was almost as mocking as her words. But it was her role as band manager to know all of them that well. “It’s because you’re too moody! You always look so sullen after shows. Let’s not even mention the time when you really thought wearing a mask on stage was going to help our image - but what about the fact that you still go by an alias? I mean, your little sister knows you’re part of Emblian, so I’m sure your folks know you’re playing music so who do you need to hide from?”

When she said it like that, it made him feel a little foolish about his artistic choices. “Anyway, you’re worrying about nothing. There are a ton of girls out there who go starry-eyed when they see you up there, but you just don’t notice them at all. You’re the lead guitarist in a damn band, Bruno. You can be full of yourself. Now, don’t be such a buzzkill and be friendly; a friend of mine said she would be coming to the show and she’s a big fan, so I told her she could come back here and chill with us before we went on. Don’t scare her off, alright?”

“I’m not scary,” Bruno said, although he wondered if Veronica looked away from him pitifully sometimes because he was really that oblivious. It was just part of his myriad of worries. Xander was also an older brother, but he always carried himself with a regal air. Maybe he ought to take a page from his book. 

There was a loud knock at the door, despite it being half open. “Hello!” A bright, beaming blonde appeared, waving and bouncing to the music they were playing up front. Anna’s professional, simpering grin was replaced by something more genuine as she stood and crossed the room in a few quick steps. The blonde girl hugged her back with unrestrained enthusiasm. “Sorry I’m late, something came up.”

“I’m just glad you could make it,” Anna said. 

“About that...I made it, obviously but...well, my father saw me getting ready and he gave me the fifth degree about where I was going. I’ve been to a ton of shows before, as you know, but he just decided to be paranoid today and said he didn’t want me to go alone so…” The girl glanced down the hall to something out of sight. “Sorry, I know you said that this place is really stringent about letting people in the back, but my brother…”

Anna looked into the hallway too. “So this is the Alfonse I’ve heard so much about. Sharena’s told me all about you. Somehow, you’re not as oppressive-looking as she’s made you sound.”

Someone - Alfonse - sputtered, still out of sight as Sharena laughed. Bruno wondered if they would just converse in the doorway the entire time, but - “Oh! Is this Zacharias? Hi! I’m Sharena, I’m a huge fan!” The girl separated herself from Anna and bound into the room, rushing up to the couch and grabbing Bruno’s hand to shake it fervently. “That outro to Voices in my Head...that’s musical genius, I think!”

“Yes, that’s Zacharias,” Anna said, before Bruno could get in a word edgewise. “But he would probably prefer if you called him Bruno.”

“Bruno? That’s a cool name too!”

“Sharena.” Her brother finally came into view, albeit hesitantly, as he entered the room after Anna. “Don’t crowd him. I’m sure he doesn’t like being hounded by fans all the time.”

Anna’s bark of a laugh was completely unnecessary. “It’s fine, I don’t mind,” Bruno said, just to spite her. If Sharena, with a personality as open and vibrant like a flash of lightning, was the type of person who attended their live shows religiously, her brother Alfonse was probably the type to see their name on the marquee and hear their sound from the door and quickly rush home to quieter past times. The way he tugged anxiously at the collar of his shirt, Bruno figured Sharena had probably dressed him for the occasion, wearing similar shades of black, blue, and gold. He felt bad for the boy, so out of his element that he barely glanced at Bruno during Anna’s introductions and looked up only when addressed by Sharena. When Anna took Sharena to the mirrors to poke around Loki’s clothes, Bruno decided to start his image rehabilitation toward a more approachable, friendly persona that seemed to pay dividends for Xander. 

“Little sisters, huh? I’ve got one too, but she’s significantly younger than yours. She wouldn’t get past the doorman without an adult.” This did not seem to ease the tension in Alfonse’s back. “I’m sure you could leave and have her tell you when our show’s over. We’ll make sure she gets home safe with you.”

Alfonse’s head shot up, so suddenly that Bruno wondered if he’d misspoke. “Oh, no. I hope I’m not coming off like I don’t want to be here. I mean, Sharena’s made me listen to some of your stuff before we came. It’s not that I don’t want to hear you and your band perform but - I feel a little disingenuous, that’s all. You’ve got a ton of fans out there for you and I barely know any of your songs, so it just seems like I’m taking someone else’s space who could probably appreciate you more.”

Bruno smiled despite himself. “So you’re full of worries too,” he said, half for his own benefit. Alfonse smiled back, although less confidently. 

“I’ve been told that’s one of my flaws, but I can’t help it.” 

“Nothing wrong with worrying. As long as you enjoy the show, you deserve to be here as much as anyone else.” Perhaps Xander would have had a better way of assuring him; it seemed that Alfonse was still anxious no matter what he said. There was a loud cheer that filtered in through the door; the opener had just taken the stage. 

“Do you still get nervous before the show?” Alfonse was looking at him again, his head slightly downturned so he was gazing up at Bruno through his eyelashes. It was a very effective gesture; Bruno felt a little moved. “I thought I saw your band members out and about when we came in, but you’re still back here…”

Anna might have had a point about his standoffishness, although Xander probably would have stayed in the back with him if he hadn’t been called out by a suitor. On the other hand, Xander would have stayed behind to mentally rehearse, as diligent as he was; Bruno just did not feel like socializing. “Not as much as when we first started, but it’s impossible to go out as boldly as Loki does. As I said, I’m a worrier too.” 

Alfonse opened his mouth to speak again but Sharena’s excited squeal interrupted him. “Xander and Loki!” she announced, shamelessly holding Loki’s jacket in front of her to inspect it. Loki did not seem to have noticed, preoccupied with how Xander was clearly scolding her as they stormed into the room together.

“...and I keep telling you, no matter how much they butter you up, you sound much better when you aren’t completely inebriated. I get that a drink or two takes off the edge, but you shouldn’t take it too far…!”

“Yes, yes,” Loki said, waving her hand dismissively. Her eyes landed on the new faces and she grinned, showing her teeth. “Oh my! Now who are these darlings?”

As Anna introduced Sharena to Loki, Bruno watched as Alfonse’s eyes follow Xander across the room before falling back on him. When he smiled again, it was sheepish, a little embarrassed. Bruno found he couldn’t look away, barely comprehending when Loki clapped her hands in front of his face. “Earth to Bruno! Wake up! Stop flirting with the big brother!”

“Flirting?” Bruno said incredulously. Alfonse had turned bright red. 

“It’s time to get ready,” Xander grumbled. “If anyone in this band would behave and stay on schedule…”

Sharena grabbed her brother, looping her arm around his when he wobbled to his feet. “Well, good luck guys! We’ll be cheering extra loud for you when you get out there, right?”

“Right,” Alfonse said, suddenly incredibly interested in the door. 

“Anna told me about your recent neuroses,” Loki said, elbowing him as they stood backstage and watched the opener finish their last number. “You should have told me earlier! I would have helped you out, you know I would.”

Bruno sighed - maybe Anna really knew him more than he knew himself - and rubbed the bridge of his nose. “You doing favors always has strings attached. I don’t think I need to be any more indebted to you than I probably already am.”

“Fair. Still, if you’re into that big brother, you should think about it. He seemed pretty enamored with you.”

“What?” But the MC of the night was already announcing them, drawing Loki’s attention away from him. Alfonse had been interested in him - it was possible this was one of Loki’s many jokes and pranks. It would not be her first; the worst had been her announcing a new song they had barely rehearsed during a large show, forcing him and Xander to keep up with her harmonies and improvising what was admittedly a decent version that they eventually tightened up and released. Still, Alfonse had been awkward and uncomfortable because he had been dragged along with Sharena’s whims. After all, he had also been looking at Xander, so it wasn’t that he only had eyes for Bruno. 

Loki laughed into the microphone, the sound sending the crowd into another frenzied scream. Loki was good at drawing attention, never on your side but never really your enemy. She must have been lying about Alfonse to shake him up, Bruno decided, checking the connections from his guitar to the speakers. She’d said that once, that he played better when he was a little on edge. She said he was the best he’d ever been when she snuck Veronica in once during a private show and he left early after to make sure his little sister went home immediately. But hadn’t that resulted in Veronica being more understanding of why he was busy at odd hours and listening to their music and asking to learn how to play a simple chord? “We’re so glad you came to see us. We’re Emblian. I’m Loki, of course, and this is Xander on drums and Zacharias on lead guitar. Who, if you must know, is single and ready to mingle.”

Another raucous cheer filled the bar, broken with wolf whistles and piercing shrieks. Bruno could practically hear Anna’s chortle. But true to her word, when he looked out, squinting through the lights on the stage, he could see some girls on the edges staring up at him transfixed. He heard, through the din, Sharena’s yell. She was near the back, next to the bar, waving her arms and screaming so loud her face was red. Alfonse was next to her, significantly more subdued, staring back at him, unflinchingly, with stars in his eyes.

“Shit,” said Bruno.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm obsessed with these two and still waiting for Bruno to come back and another Alfonse alt.


End file.
